Low cost, wind proof cigarette lighter burner

ABSTRACT

In the construction disclosed herein, a tubular burner member is crimped adjacent one end and in an intermediate portion to form air inlets and a jet pump, respectively. Inserted into the other, open end of the tubular member is a disk-like flame-holder having inwardly extending vanes struck from the sheet metal material of the flameholder, which vanes cooperate with a central hub in the flameholder to provide reliable recirculation and ignition of the incoming air-fuel mixture.

United States Patent Wormser Oct. 29, 1974 [54] Low COST, WIND PROOF CIGARETTE 1,404,610 1 1922 Higgins 239 399 G R N R 1,817,066 8/1931 Crow 239/403 3,510,238 5/1970 B'ber 431/350 [75] Inventor: Alex F. Wormser, Marblehead, l

Mass FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Assigneez wingaersheek Turbine pa y, 804,375 8/1936 France 239/399 Peabody Mass' Primary ExaminerCarr0ll B. Dority, Jr. Flledl g- 20, 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kenway & Jenney [21] Appl. No.: 389,534

Related US. Application Data [57] {\BSTRACT [63] continuatiommpart of Ser No 142 402 May H In the construction disclosed herein, a tubular burner 1971 abandoned. member is crimped adjacent one end and in an intermediate portion to form air inlets and a jet pump, re- 52 US. Cl 431/347, 431/353 239/399 spectively- Inserted into the other, open end Ofthe 51 1m. (:1 F2 3d 13/12 bu'ar member is a disk-like flame-holder having [58] Field of Search 431/344 347 353 wardly extending vanes struck from the sheet metal 239/399, material of the flameholder, which vanes cooperate with a central hub in the flameholder to provide reli- [56] References Cited ab le recirculation and ignition of the incoming air-fuel UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,079,327 11 1913 Chadbom 239/399 7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures LOW COST, WIND PROOF CIGARETTE LIGHTER BURNER RELATIONSHIP TO EARLIER CASES This application is a continuation-impart of my copending application Ser. No. 142,402 filed May 11, 1971, now abandoned, for Aerodynamic Fuel Combustor which is itself a continuation, a continuation-in-part or otherwise related to applications Ser. Nos. 535,215, now abandoned; 728,933, now abandoned; 761,372, now abandoned, and 134,093, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to burners of exceptionally small size, i.e. less than inch diameter, and particularly to such a burner adapted for use in a cigarette lighter operating on compressed gas.

While cigarette lighters operating on compressed gases have been available previously, lighters of this type have in the past been particularly susceptible to blowout problems in the presence of ambient winds or even relatively gentle air movement. Among the several objects of the present invention may be noted the provision of a cigarette lighter operating on compressed gas fuel, which is relatively blowout-proof. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In general, the desired objects are achieved by applying the principles disclosed in my earlier applications to a construction adapted to miniature burners such as cigarette lighters, having in mind the necessity of relatively low-cost construction. The unexpected result has been discovered that the introduction of a substantial swirl in the incoming fuel-air mixture permits sustained combustion in very small combustion chambers, i.e. smaller than 14 inch, in spite of the chilling effect of closely adjacent walls.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the present invention concerns a burner for a cigarette lighter fueled on compressed gas such as butane, the fuel being admitted to the burner through a generally tubular stem. The burner involves a sheet metal tubular member crimped so as to engage and clamp the fuel feed, while providing air entrance channels on either sie thereof. The tubular member is further shaped intermediate its ends to provide a jet-pump tube coaxial with the fuel jet for entraining air. Inserted into the other end of the tubular member, which acts as a combustion chamber, is a disk-like sheet metal flameholder engaging the tubular member. The flameholder also has a plurality of circumferentially disposed vanes formed from the material of the flame-holder, leaving a substantial central hub. The vanes project toward the jet pump tube and are inclined with respect to the plane of the disk-like member, thereby to produce a helical spin of gases passing through the flameholder. Accordingly, a recirculation zone is formed downstream of the hub, allowing hot, burning gases to recirculate and ignite incoming air-fuel mixture. The spin of the gases causes cooler, unburned gases to tend to the periphery of the burner with hotter gases tending to the axis of the burner facilitating this continuous ignition by recirculation. The recirculation and reliable ignition of the incoming fuel-air mixture inhibits blowouts in accordance with the principles of the invention and permit continuous combustion in extremely small cylindrical chambers, i.e. smaller than 141 inch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a burner construction in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a view, partially in section, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view, partially in section, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 'is an end view looking into the combustion chamber of the burner, taken substantially on the line 5--5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of one of the vanes of a flame-holder employed in the burner of FIG. 1; and

FIG.7 is an isometric view of another embodiment of the flameholder.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. '1, there is indicated at 11 a generally tubular fuel feed stem of the type conventionally employed in compressed gas fueled cigarette lighters. The stem terminates in a jet 12. Fitting on the end of the fuel feed stem 11 is a sheet metal burner member, designated generally by reference character 13. As will be understood, the entire burner assembly can fit within the cowl conventionally extending from the tubular body and tank construction of conventional compressed gas lighter constructions. As described in greater detail hereinafter, member 13 is formed from a single section of sheet metal tubing, the diameter of the tubing being initially in the order-of 0.2 inches. At one end, the tubular member 13 is crimped as illustrated in FIG. 3 so as to clamp onto the fuel feed 11, engaging as indicated at 15 and 16, while providing air inlet channels 18 and 19 on either side of the fuel feed, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Intermediate its ends, the tubular member 13 is crimped as indicated in FIG. 4 so as to provide a jet pump tube, designated 21, in alignment with the fuel feed jet 12. If desired, a small separate tube can be inserted within the constricted portion of the member 13 to provide a more sharply defined venturi area. As understood by those skilled in the art, pressurized fuel exiting from the jet 12 will entrain air drawn in through the inlets l8 and 19, providing a substantially mixed air-fuel mixture emerging from the jet pump tube 21. The jet pump tube 21 flares, as indicated at 23, to meet the full diameter portion of the member 13, the flaring portion 23 providing a diffuser action as understood in the art.

Inserted into the full diameter portion of the tubular member 13 is a sheet metal disk-like member 31 which, as described hereinafter, functions as a flameholder. Struck from the material of the disk-like member 31 are a plurality of circumferentially disposed vanes 33, these vanes being disposed at an angle shallower than 45 with respect to the plane of the disk-like member 31. In this embodiment, the struckout areas forming the vanes 33 comprise about one-third of the crosssectional area of the full diameter of the tube and are disposed so as to leave a central hub 35 of diameter about half that of the tube. If desired, the vanes 33 may be formed with the material to the side of each vane being drawn rather than being cut through so as to impart maximum swirl by preventing leakage around the edges of the vane.

The member 31 also comprises an integral rim 39 which is also formed from the sheet metal of the disk member 31 itself. This rim forcibly engages the tubular member 13 so as to retain the disk-like flameholder 31 in place within the tube. If desired, dimpling may be provided to secure the engagement as indicated at 40. The member 31 is inserted far enough within the tubular members so as to leave a relatively unobstructed open area 41 which comprises the combustion chamber of the burner.

Consistent with the teachings in my prior applications, the vanes 33 operate to produce a helical flow of the gases passing through the flameholder while the substantial central hub provides a bluff body permitting recirculation of burning gases. The helical spin of the moving gases tends to drive cooler, unburned gases to the periphery of the combustion chamber 41 while the hotter, burned gases tend toward the axis of the combustion chamber, facilitating recirculation back toward the hub of hot gases so that the entering fuel-air mixture is continuously re-ignited by the recirculation of the hot gases. This recirculation pattern permits combustion in small combustion chambers than otherwise possible. In typical burner constructions, the metal wall of the combustion chamber abstracts heat from the flame itself creating a layer of cooler gases. In large burners or ordinary construction, the thickness of this layer does not particularly affect operation. However, in smaller burners, the formation of this layer effectively prevents the construction of conventional burners in sizes smaller than A inch. In accordance with the present invention, however, it has been discovered that the introduction of a substantially helical swirl permits sufficient heat to be retained in the core of the combustion zone so as to permit continuous combustion, even in very small flame tubes. The-portions of the flameholder member between the vanes facilitate an interleaved re-ignition, penetrating up into the swirling mass of entering fuel-air mixture. Since continuous reignition of the incoming fuel-air mixture is accomplished efficiently and reliably, this burner is relatively insensitive to ambient air movement. Further, since the burner disclosed provides good mixing and intense combustion, nearly stoichiometric mixtures may be used so that the rate of flame front propagation is also relatively high, again adding to the wind resistance. While combustion normally takes place largely within the combustion chamber 41, initial ignition may be applied at the mouth of the burner, e.g. by the usual flint striker employed in cigarette lighters. In order to make the presence of combustion more apparent, a wire of a material such as stainless steel may be positioned across the mouth of the burner as indicated at 51. Combustion within the burner will heat the wire to a readily perceivable incandescence, even though the flame may be blue and itself difficult to see.

The construction disclosed is particularly adapted to miniature burners, i.e. burners in which the diameter of the combustion chamber is in the order of A inches or less. In one embodiment of the invention, the combustion chamber was about 0.20 inches in diameter and 0.20 inches long while the jet-pump tube had an inner diameter of about 0.025 inches and a length of about 0.075 inches. Butane fuel was provided through a jet aperture of about 0.0015 inches under a pressure of about 30 psi. Each of the air inlets was of about 0.002 square inches in cross-section. Further, since the construction is amenable to fabrication by stamping of sheet metal elements, the cost of construction is relatively low.

An alternative disk-like flameholder construction is illustrated in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, a series of radial cuts 52 are made in a sheet metal disk 53 and the metal on one side of each cut is bent up to form a shallow vane functioning as in the previous embodiment. If desired, the periphery of the disk 53 can also be bent over to form a rim which, though discontinous, facilitates the support of the flameholder in the burner.

In view of the foregoing, it may be seen that several objects of the present invention are achieved and other advantageous results have been attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it should be understood that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigarette lighter operating on compressed gas fuel provided through a fuel stem, a burner comprising:

a sheet metal tubular member, having a nominal diameter of inch or less, shaped adjacent one end to provide air entrance channels on either side of said fuel feed stem, said tubular member being shaped intermediate its ends. providing a jet pump tube coaxial with said fuel jet, the fuel jet thereby operating to entrain air drawn through said entrance channels; and

inserted into the other end of said tubular member,

a disk-like sheet metal flameholder having a plurality of circumferentially disposed vanes struck from the material of said flameholder, leaving a substantial central hub, said vanes being inclined with respect to the plane of the disk-like flameholder thereby to produce a helical spin of gases passing through satartarrifiaia'ri'wirerasy a recirculation zone is formed downstream of said hub allowing hot, burned gases to be recirculated and ignite incoming air-fuel mixture, the spin of gases causing cooler, unburned gases to tend to the periphery of the burner with the hotter gases tending toward the axis of the burner facilitating recirculation and preventing extinguishment due to cold wall effects.

2. A burner as set forth in claim 1 including a wire extending across the open end of said burner, which wire is heated to incandescence by combustion within said tubular member.

3. In a cigarette lighter operating on compressed gas fuel provided through a fuel stem terminating in a gas jet, a burner comprising:

a tubular member constricted adjacent one end to engage and clamp on said fuel feed stem and to provide air entrance channels adjacent thereto, said tubular member being constricted intermediate its ends providing a jet pump tube coaxial with said fuel jet, the fuel jet thereby operating to entrain air drawn through said entrance channels; and

inserted into the other end of said tubular member,

a disk-like flameholder having a plurality of cirfuel feed stem, said tubular member being crimped intermediate its ends to provide a jet pump tube coaxial with said gas jet, the gas jet thereby operating to entrain air drawn through said entrance channels; and

inserted into the other end of said tubular member,

a disk-like sheet metal flameholder having an annular rim engaging said tubular member to support the flameholder therein, said flameholder having a thereby operating to entrain air drawn through said entrance channels; and

inserted into the other end of said tubular member,

a disk-like sheet metal flameholder having an annucumferentially disposed vanes leaving a substantial 5 lar rim engaging said tubular member to support central hub about half the diameter of the tubular the flameholder therein, the unconstricted portion member, said an p j g to e jet pu p of said tubular member extending beyond said tube and being inclined with respect to the plane of flameh lder forming a combustion chamber, the the disk-like flameholder at n ngl Of 1885 than diameter of said unconstricted portion being in the 45 thereby to produce a helical spin of gases pass- 10 order of 0.20 inches, said flameholder having a pluh through Said flameholder whereby a fecircutarality of circumferentially disposed vanes struck h Z0118 18 formed downstream of Said hub Q Q from the material of said flameholder leaving a subburned g e to be recirculated and Ignite stantial central hub of about half the diameter of mCOmmg alr-hlet mlXture, the P 0f g cahslhg the tubular member, said vanes projecting toward cooler hhbufhed gases to tehd t0 h P y of the jet pump tube and being inclined with respect the burner Wlth the hotter gases tehdlhg toward the to the plane of the disk-like flameholder at an angle axis of the burner facilitating recirculation and preof less than thereby to produce a helical Spin f venting extingu shment due to cold wall effects. gases passing through Said flameholder, the Struck [h a hhgarette lighter Operatmg P P gas out area of the vanes comprising about one-third of f P gh a fuel Stem termmatmg a gas 20 the cross-sectional area of the tubular member, l a burner compnsmg: whereby a recirculation zone is formed downa Sheet metal tubular f havmg, a nommal stream of said hub allowing hot, burning gases to be ameter of mch or less crlmped adlacem one end recirculated and ignite incoming air-fuel mixture, to n and clamp fuel t F and t the spin of gases causing cooler, unburned gases to provide an entrance channels on either side of said tend to the periphery of the burner with the hotter gases tending toward the axis of the burner facilitating recirculation.

7. In a cigarette lighter operating on compressed gas fuel provided through a fuel stem terminating in a gas jet, a burner comprising:

a sheet metal tubular member, having a nominal diameter of inch or less, shaped adjacent one end to provide air entrance channels adjacent said fuel feed stem, said tubular member being formed interluralit of circumferential] dis osed vanes struck i rom thi; material of said flameh lder leaving a submedlate ends prpvldmg a t p of stantial central hub of about half the diameter of eter abqut 0025 Inches cpaxlal wlth gas the tubular member, said vanes projecting toward the gas Jet.thereby operatmg entram draw the jet pump tube and being inclined with respect through Sald entrance channels. and to the plane of the disk-like flameholder at an angle 40 mserted P the other end of Sam tubular m f of less than thereby to produce a helical spin of a dlskhke Sheet metal flameholder ehgagmg Sald gases passing through said flameholder, the struckmember Support the flatmeholder out area of the vanes comprising about one-third of therem the untfonsmcted pofhoh of 531d tubular the cross-sectional area of the tubular member, member extehdlhg beyond d flameholder f whereby a recirculation Zone is formed down 45 mg a combustronchamber, the diameter of said unstream of said hub allowing hot, burning gases to be Fohstrlcted portloh belhg the other of recirculated and ignite incoming air-fuel mixture, Inches and length m the other Inches, Sald the spin of gases causing cooler, unburned gases to flftmeholder having a. P y of ctrcuthfel'ehttahy tend to the periphery of the burner with the hotter dlsposed vanes Struck from material of Said gases tending toward the axis of the burner faciliflameholder leavlhg a Substahtlal Central hub 0f tating recirculation about half the diameter of thetubular member,

5. A burner as set forth in claim 4 including a wire exl h p l f toward the J P p tube tending across to the open end of said burner, which h g lhchhed wlth respect to the Plane of the disk wire is heated to incandescence by combustion within hke flameholder at ah angle of less than said tubular member. 5 thereby to produce a helical spin of gases passing 6. In a cigarette lighter operating on compressed gas through said flameholder, whereby a recirculation fuel provided through a fuel stem terminating in a gas Zone s o med downstream of said hub allowing jet, a burner comprising: hot, burning gases to be recirculated and ignite ina sheet metal tubular member crimped adjacent one coming air-fuel mixture, the spin of gases causing end to engage and clamp on said fuel feed stem and 0 cooler, unburned gases to tend to the periphery of to provide air entrance channels on either side of the burner with the hotter gases tending toward the said fuel feed stem, said tubular member being axis of the burner facilitating recirculation and precrimped intermediate its ends to provide a jet venting extinguishment due to cold wall effects. pump tube coaxial with said gas jet, the gas jet UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,844,707 Dated October 29, 1974 Inventor(s) Alex F. Wormser It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 1, line 47, "sie" should be --si.de--. Col. 4, line 3, after "0.075 inches), insert --The overall length of the burner member 13 was about 0.50 inches.--.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of April 1975.

fittest:

UM s -LwOZE Commissioner of Patents ettestlng Of'llCGr v I and Trademarks l FORM po'wso (10459) USCOMM-DC wave-Poo i ".5. GOVIINMINT PR NTING OFFICE II. OSl-S8l. 

1. In a cigarette lighter operating on compressed gas fuel provided through a fuel stem, a burner comprising: a sheet metal tubular member, having a nominal diameter of 1/4 inch or less, shaped adjacent one end to provide air entrance channels on either side of said fuel feed stem, said tubular member being shaped intermediate its ends providing a jet pump tube coaxial with said fuel jet, the fuel jet thereby operating to entrain air drawn through said entrance channels; and inserted into the other end of said tubular member, a disk-like sheet metal flameholder having a plurality of circumferentially disposed vanes struck from the material of said flameholder, leaving a substantial central hub, said vanes being inclined with respect to the plane of the disk-like flameholder thereby to produce a helical spin of gases passing through said flameholder, whereby a recirculation zone is formed downstream of said hub allowing hot, burned gases to be recirculated and ignite incoming air-fuel mixture, the spin of gases causing cooler, unburned gases to tend to the periphery of the burner with the hotter gases tending toward the axis of the burner facilitating recirculation and preventing extinguishment due to cold wall effects.
 2. A burner as set forth in claim 1 including a wire extending across the open end of said burner, which wire is heated to incandescence by combustion within said tubular member.
 3. In a cigarette lighter operating on compressed gas fuel provided through a fuel stem terminating in a gas jet, a burner comprising: a tubular member constricted adjacent one end to engage and clamp on said fuel feed stem and to provide air entrance channels adjacent thereto, said tubular member being constricted intermediate its ends providing a jet pump tube coaxial with said fuel jet, the fuel jet thereby operating to entrain air drawn through said entrance channels; and inserted into the other end of said tubular member, a disk-like flameholder having a plurality of circumferentially disposed vanes leaving a substantial central hub about half the diameter of the tubular member, said vanes projecting toward the jet pump tube and being inclined with respect to the plane of the disk-like flameholder at an angle of less than 45* thereby to produce a helical spin of gases passing through said flameholder, whereby a recirculation zone is formed downstream of said hub allowing hot, burned gases to be recirculated and ignite incoming air-fuel mixture, the spin of gases causing cooler, unburned gases to tend to the periphery of the burner with the hotter gases tending toward the axis of the burner facilitating recirculation and preventing extinguishment due to cold wall effects.
 4. In a cirgarette lighter operating on compressed gas fuel provided through a fuel stem terminating in a gas jet, a burner comprising: a sheet metal tubular member, having a nominal diameter of 1/4 inch or less, crimped adjacent one end to engage and clamp on said fuel feed stem and to provide air entrance channels on either side of said fuel feed stem, said tubular member being crimped intermediate its ends to provide a jet pump tube coaxial with said gas jet, the gas jet thereby operating to entrain air drawn through said entrance channels; and inserted into the other end of said tubular member, a disk-like sheet metal flameholder having an annular rim engaging said tubular member to support the flameholder therein, said flameholder having a plurality of circumferentially disposed vanes struck from the material of said flameholder leaving a substantial central hub of about half the diameter of the tubular member, said vanes projecting toward the jet pump tube and being inclined with respect to the plane of the disk-like flameholder at an angle of less than 45* thereby to produce a helical spin of gases passing through said flameholder, the struckout area of the vanes comprising about one-third of the cross-sectional area of the tubular member, whereby a recirculation zone is formed downstream of said hub allowing hot, burning gases to be recirculated and ignite incoming air-fuel mixture, the spin of gases causing cooler, unburned gases to tend to the periphery of the burner with the hotter gases tending toward the axis of the burner facilitating recirculation.
 5. A burner as set forth in claim 4 including a wire extending across to the open end of said burner, which wire is heated to incandescence by combustion within said tubular member.
 6. In a cigarette lighter operating on compressed gas fuel provided through a fuel stem terminating in a gas jet, a burner comprising: a sheet metal tubular member crimped adjacent one end to engage and clamp on said fuel feed stem and to provide air entrance channels on either side of said fuel feed stem, said tubular member being crimped intermediate its ends to provide a jet pump tube coaxial with said gas jet, the gas jet thereby operating to entrain air drawn through said entrance channels; and inserted into the other end of said tubular member, a disk-like sheet metal flameholder having an annular rim engaging said tubular member to support the flameholder therein, the unconstricted portion of said tubular member extending beyond said flameholder forming a combustion chamber, the diameter of said unconstricted portion being in the order of 0.20 inches, said flameholder having a plurality of circumferentially disposed vanes struck from the material of said flameholder leaving a substantial central hub of about half the diameter of the tubular member, said vanes projecting toward the jet pump tube and being inclined with respect to the plane of the disk-like flameholder at an angle of less than 45* thereby to produce a helical spin of gases passing through said flameholder, the struckout area of the vanes comprising about one-third of the cross-sectional area of the tubular member, whereby a recirculation zone is formed downstream of said hub allowing hot, burning gases to be recirculated and ignite incoming air-fuel mixture, the spin of gases causing cooler, unburned gases to tend to the periphery of the burner with the hotter gases tending toward the axis of the burner facilitating recirculation.
 7. In a cigarette lighter operating on compressed gas fuel provided through a fuel stem terminating in a gas jet, a burner comprising: a sheet metal tubular member, having a nominal diameter of 1/4 inch or less, shaped adjacent one end to provide air entrance channels adjacent said fuel feed stem, said tubular member being formed intermediate its ends providing a jet pump tube of diameter about 0.025 inches coaxial with said gas jet, the gas jet thereby operating to entrain air drawn through said entrance channels; and inserted into the other end of said tubular member, a disk-like sheet metal flameholder engaging said tubular member to support the flameholder therein, the unconstricted portion of said tubular member extending beyond said flameholder forming a combustion chamber, the diameter of said unconstricted portion being in the order of 0.20 inches and length in the order of 0.20 inches, said flameholder having a plurality of circumferentially disposed vanes struck from the material of said flameholder leaving a substantial central hub of about half the diameter of the tubular member, said vanes projecting toward the jet pump tube and being inclined with respect to the plane of the disk-like flameholder at an angle of less than 45* thereby to produce a helical spin of gases passing through said flameholder, whereby a recirculation zone is formed downstream of said hub allowing hot, burning gases to be recirculated and ignite incoming air-fuel mixture, the spin of gases causing cooler, unburned gases to tend to the periphery of the burner with the hotter gases tending toward the axis of the burner facilitating recirculation and preventing extinguishment due to cold wall effects. 